Responding to the government's move to introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in school, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “School leaders are as concerned as everyone about the impact of social media and phones on children and young people. NAHT has supported calls for a ban on pupils using smartphones during the school day.

“Statutory guidance will give school leaders the clarity they need to implement a ban, and will remove any ambiguity or differences between how schools approach smartphone policies.

“Schools will only then need to decide how to implement and enforce a ban across their school community and the government must provide any support they require to do so effectively.

“Some schools will need time to communicate with parents and pupils and parents on implementation of a complete ban where this is not already in place.”